Game-board



(No Model.)

R. J. CHIPMA'N. GAME BOARD.

No. 497,301 Patented May 16, 189s.

UNITED lSTATES PATEi'vT OFFICE.

RoEERr J. CHIPMAN, or PATERsoN, NEW JERSEY..

GAM E.BOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 497,307, dated May 16, 1893.

Application iiled March 12,1892. Serial No. 424,644. (No model.)

.To all whom it 11mg/ concern.-

Beit known thatI I, ROBERT J. CHIPMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Paterson, county of Passaic, and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Parlor Game-Boards, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of parlor games for recreation and amusement wherein a certain amount of skill as well as chance is a factor, and consists of a board covered with cloth or baize similar to a billiard or bagatelle table, upon which spherical balls are struck by a playiug-ball propelled by the force of an adjustable spring device similar to a toy cannon, in the barrel of which a rod is inserted that is drawn out by the hand and returned by the contraction of an india rubber band spring which gives the blow the necessary amount of force. The spring cue or shooting device beinglocated on a transverse bed and adjusted pivot-ally as well as laterally, is capable of precise adjustment with reference to the playing ball or one that may be colored different from the others which are all similar, so that a person skilled in the game may obtain success with a degree of certainty similar to an expert billiard player.

The shooting device being at one end of the board, at the other a number of receiving holes with shutters and pockets are formed, to .receive the ballsas they are played, there being the same number of holes and pockets as there are balls. Each of the pockets is arranged so that when a ball is driven into it, the ball is received on a shelf which byy the added weight of the ball descends below the level of the table and by means of mechanism which will be hereinafter described raises an enlarged part upon which a number is arixed which denotes the points gained by the player for that shot or play, and such number is recorded upon a board arranged with holes and pegs similar to a cribbage board one of which is located on each side of the board in a convenient position and so marked that a number of players scoresmay be kept at thesame time. When all the balls are played, those that have entered the pocketsare counted as their respective number denotes and scored to that players account, when they are removed through a door-way or trap formed conveniently in the back of the board for such purpose, and are given to the next player for his use'. The playing or colored ball does not count should it by chance A enter a pocket. l

My invention may be more clearly understood by reference to the drawings accompanying this specitcationin which- Figure l, represents a perspective view of a board with the spherical balls, shooting device, and two balls pocketed with their numbers indicated, as it would appear during the progress of a game. Fig. 2, represents a cross section of part of board showing one of the pockets with a ball entered and the index raised, the trap or door for `removal of the balls being open. Fig. 3, is a longitudinal sectional view of the spring shooting device with its pivoted carriage in pivotal adjustment in the transverse slide which is a part of the playing board. Fig. 4, is a part'secy tional elevation ot' the back of the end of the playing board showing two pockets one of which is iilled and the number recorded the other empty awaiting a ball.

Similar letters have reference to similar parts.

I will now describe the construction of my newly invented parlor game board.

` A represents a board covered wit-h cloth or baize provided at each edge with a raised edge or guard A4 which may be covered with cloth or provided with an india rubber cushion similar to a billiard table upon the outer sides of which at the lower end is upheld by brackets B3 a perforated ycounting or tally board B similar to a cribbage board having holes B in which are inserted the pins or pegs B2 in the usual manner. At the lower or playing end of the board A Fig. l at a lower level is located'a transverse guide F provided with a slot F formed crosswise of the board and extending its width in which the pivot F2 ot' the carriage C ot' the shooting device C is located, being held in loose contact by the washer F3 and rivet or screw F4 which is properly secured on the under side of the slide. Pivoted upon the carriage C is a barrel or tube C within Whicha rod C3 provided with a suitable handle C2 moves freely to and l fro. The lower or under side of the breech end has a slot C formed to allow a pin or hook C6 which is fastened to the rod CEl to traverse freely as the rod is drawn out or returned in the operation of discharging. A similar pin or hook C7 is properly secured to the under side of the front tube as shown in Fig. 3. Stretched upon the hooks or pins CG C7 is an elastic rubber band orring C5 which by its contraction keeps the rod C inclosed within the barrel C and by its extension when the rod CB is drawn out gives sufficient tension to cause the rod Cs to return with such force as to strike the ball either with violence or gently as the player may desire.

Near the lower end of the board and rest ing upon its surface is a wire yrod N which is secured to the side of the board A4 A4 which forms a stop for the playing ball when placed in front of the shooting device. A short distance from theI wire rod N at some regulated distance from the lower end is marked a transverse line L either chalked or painted upon which the spherical balls Il are placed when about to be shot at by the playing ball H. t

At the upper end of the board and facing the player is arranged a system of holes D formed in a raised portion G of the end of the board, the top cap G of which is perforated with a number of square holes in which fit loosely square sliding blocks or shutters E upon the front and back sides of which are certain numbers printed or painted, which are concealed when the shutter or block E is down and the pocket is' empty, and exposed when the shutter or block rises upon a ball being pocketed Figs..1 and 4. The shutter or block E 'slides freely upon and down between the partitions forming the pockets and is balanced upon one end e of a wire lever e which is secured loosely in a slot formed in the lower under side bf the block v E and fastened by the pin a. Thelever eis A pivoted upon a screw f usual manner.

which is inserted in the back of the frame G Fig. 2. A stop pin a regulates the height to which the shutter or block E is permitted to rise. To the other end of thelever eis pivoted a suitable joint and one end of a vertical wire rod e2 the lower end of which is secured to the shelf e3 which receives the balls when they are pocketed. The back is inclosed bythe casing K2 and K3 to which the door K is hinged by hinges K4 and secured by a button or turnbuckle in the The door K is provided with conical holes K formed opposite each partition A3 or shelf e which are intended to receive the balls I-I when the door Kis lowered and the balls are rolled off the shelf e3.

I will now proceed to describe the use of my new parlor game.

'Ihe number of balls used to play the game consists of eightwhite orcolorless balls and one red one corresponding to the number of pockets located at the end of the board to receive them when played. In playing the game a white ball H is placed upon the line L and.

the red one H placed in contact in any lateral position with the wire rod N. The shooting device is then so adjusted that the nozzle touches the red ball II at any angle the player may choose, to propel the ball II toward a hole D. The rod CB is then drawn partially out extending the rubber spring C"S and being let go the spring quickly returns the rod Cs, the point of which striking the red ball II propels -it along the table striking the white ball II which also is propelled by the blow given and entering a hole D falls upon the shafts which descends by the added weight and by means of the rod e2, lever e and pivots e and f raises the block or shutter E and exhibits the number of the pocket which the ball has entered. The other white balls are thus played in a similar manner until all are used. Those that remain on the board not pocketed may not be shot at after the last ball has been placed on the line L. Those that are left on the board at the last shot are removed and the numbers on the shutters exposed, counted and added up and recorded by the peg B2 placed in the holes B of the tally board B. The door K is then opened and falling down as in Fig. 2 the pocketed balls roll off of their shelves e3 and fall into the holes K' formed to receive tnem in the door K from which they are removed and the door K reclosed and fastened. The raised shutters E are then pressed down covering up the numbers and raising the shelves es as before described when the board is ready for the next player to make his score and the operations repeated. 4

Should the red ball enter a hole it is not counted and should two white ones enter one pocket only one is counted.

Having described the use and construction of my newly-invented parlor game, what I' claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. A game played upon a board of the construction described with eight white balls and one red ball propelled by a pivotally adjustable spring shooting device, the adjustment being transversely, vertically and angular in combination with a system of holes or pockets provided with automatic indicatorsornu mlered blocks or shutters substantially as speci- 2. The combination of a game playingboard having scoring tables or tally boards located on each side and secured to the same, at one end a transverse slide with slot to receive and retain loosely the pivot of a carriage upon which is mounted by trunnions a shooting device consisting of a barrel within which a rod is loosely located to which a hook or pin is secured, and which slides in a slot formed to receive it in the breech end of the barrel, a rubber ring or elastic spring being secured to the same and another similar hook or pin located on the under side of the nozzle or mouth end, to which the rubber ring is also secured formingatension spring between the barrel or shooting device and the rod, anumber of holes or pockets located at the other ing balls and index blocks or numbered shutters operated by the entrance of the balls into end. of theboard to receive and retain'play.

the holes or pockets substantially as specified.

3. A playing board or game board having at one end a shooting device, at the sides tally boards and at the othery end a raised portion v which `is divided into certain number of pockets or ,cells by partitions being provided with entrance holes and balanced shelves pivotally connected with numbered blocks which are raised by the descent of the shelf when a ball rests upon it after passing through the hole formed to receive it in the front of the end of board, a door located transversely hinged to the back of the frame of the table provided with button or securing device and having a number of conial holes formed opposite each pocket or cell to receive the balls while removing them from the shelves, said ROBERT J. CHIPMAN. Witnesses:

W. NELSON, J No. S. MUsoHEMP.

2O board being provided with stop wire or rod 

